Rail-joint



D. McEACHERN.

RAIL 101m.

APPLICATION FILED MAR. I4, 1919.

Patented Sept. 14, 1920.

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WITNESSES g 4 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

DOUGALD McEACHERN, or nELsoN, BBYITISHCOLUIIWIBIA, CANADA.

To all whom it may concern: I

Be it known that I,,D0UGALD McEAoHERN, a subject of the King of England, and residing at Nelson, British Columbia, Canada, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Rail-Joints, of which the following is a specification.

My present invention relates generally to rail joints, and more particularly to rail joints of that type wherein the ends of rails are not only connected, but are supported as well, so as to prevent excessive vibration of their contiguous extremities, and my object is the provision of simple, inexpensive means, to be utilized in connection with a rail joint of this type, for maintaining the parts under an active tension at all times directed toward tightening the same and compensating for wear.

The construction proposed by my invention for the above purpose will be betten understood by reference to the following de scription, in connection with the accompanying drawing, which forms a part of thisspecification, and wherein I Figure 1 is a top plan view of a rail joint constructed in accordance with my invention Fig. 2 is a bottom plan view thereof,

Fig. 3 is a side elevation,

Fig. 4 is a vertical tranverse section, and

Fig. 5 is a detail perspective view of the joint supporting wedge.

Referring now to these figures, my inven tion relates to a. rail joint wherein fishplates 10 are utilized at opposite sides of the connected ends of rails 11 and 12 and secured thereto by bolts 10, these fish-plates extending from the base 13 of the rail as seen in Fig. 4 to and beneath the head 14, and engaging opposite sides of the web 15, and are provided at their lower portions with angular plates 16 outstanding therefrom upon and projecting beyond the rail bases 13.

Adjacent their outer edges the angular plates 16 have spike-receiving apertures 17, as seen in Figs. 1 and 3, which are located beyond the opposite sides of the rail bases 13 and provide for the connection of the joints with the adjacent track ties 18.

The angular plates 16 have depending brackets 19 located between the ties 18 and including vertical portions having longitudinal slots 20 adjacent the rail base, for the reception of a transversely disposed wedge RAIL-JOINT.

Specification of Letters Iatent.

I openings,

' ously urge said 7 21 as seen in Fig. 5, which is driven in g Patented Sept. 14, 1920. Application filed March 14, 1919. Serial No. 282,743.; I

from oneside ofthe joint and which thus bears upwardly against the base of the rail so as to as sist inthe support of the :rail

extremities, which this In accordance with wedge 21 is provided at one side with a depending slotted lug 22, for the reception of a bolt 23, whose inner headed end is projected centrally through a bow-shaped memwedge laps.

ber 24 of spring steel disposed against the inner surfaceof the adjacent bracket 19, through which the bolt also passes. A nut 25 engages the bolt 23 and bears against the slotted lug 22 of the Wedge so that when this nut is tightened, the parts are placed under control of the tension of the bow spring 2 1, the effect of which is to urge the wedge 21 in the direction of its length at all my invention, the

times toward inward tightening movement so as to effectively compensate for wear.

It is thus obvious thatmy invention will add materially to the effectiveness and efficiency of a rail joint of this type, is of a simple, inexpensive nature, will be strong and durable, and will continually operate toward the desired end with but infrequent attention.

I claim 1. A rail joint including angular joint plates having depending side brackets inter-,

mediate their ends, provided with slotted a wedge extending horizontall between the joint plate brackets and through said openings, said wedge having a depending slotted lug at its enlarged end, a bow spring bearing against the inner face of the bracket adjacent the enlarged end of the web, and a bolt extending outwardly through the said bow spring and the -adjacent bracket and projecting through the slotted lug of the wedge, having a nut en-c gaging the same and disposed against the lug of the wedge, for the purpose described. 2. A rail joint includlng angular joint plates having depending side brackets intermediate their ends, provided with slotted openings, a wedge extending horizontally between the joint plate brackets and through said openings, and means acting to continu wedge inwardly and to take up wear, including a spring engaging a portion of one of the .joint lates, and a. bolt connected with and exten ing from the said spring and bgrgaging a portion of the wedge, as descrl 3. A rail joint including angular joint plates having depending side brackets intermediate their ends, provided with slotted openings, a wedge extending horizontally between the joint plate brackets and through said openings, and means engaging said wedge and one of the oint plates and acting to shift the wedge inwardly for the purpose 1 of taking up wear, said means including a spring disposed beneath one of the joint plates and in engagement with the inner surface of one of thesaid side brackets.

4. A railjoint including angular joint as described.

plates having depending side brackets intermediate their ends, provided with slotted openings, a wedge extending horizontally non-satin MeEAGHERN. 

